that around 70% of people aged 40 and above have no Will in place. This may be due to them never having considered the matter or being under the false impression that they do not need a Will.
If a person dies intestate, that is without a valid Will, their estate devolves in accordance with the rules set out in the Administration of Estates Act 1925. These rules are arbitrary and may not accord with what the deceased may have wanted if he had given thought to the matter and potentially give rise to disputes that can tear a family apart and result in significant financial loss.
A carefully written Will substantially reduces the risk of this outcome and facilitates the distribution of the deceased’s estate and will in most cases reduce administrative costs.
